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Is divorce the same for men and women?

On Behalf of | Jul 13, 2021 | Divorce |

One reason women file for divorce is to gain equality. While some couples do retain equal status in marriage, for others, the woman sacrifices her career and independence to raise the children and support her husband.

Yet, a recent survey shows that even divorce can treat women differently from men. The study looked at the effect divorce has on people’s household income. It found that men’s income rose by 5% in the year of divorce, whereas women’s dropped 40%.

These differences did reduce over time, but men still come out of divorce financially better off than women. Five years after the divorce, men were back at their pre-divorce incomes, whereas women were still only at three quarters.

Divorce can have adverse health effects on both parties

The study found the physical health of both sexes improved initially, although both returned to pre-divorce levels in a few years. It also found that divorce harmed the mental wellbeing of both sexes, but men recovered sooner. Despite this, the women surveyed reported being more satisfied with life during the initial period after their divorce and were less likely to suffer short-term loneliness than men.

The overall results show most differences between how divorce affects men and women even out in the long term. Except that is for the financial disadvantage women suffer, which lasts for years.

Securing an adequate financial settlement when you divorce is therefore even more essential as a woman. It will be much harder to gain the equality you seek if you are struggling to survive, and the survey showed divorce left women at a far higher risk of dropping into poverty than men. Ensuring you understand how the property division process works is crucial to providing a platform to springboard you toward a more positive future.